Adelaide Football Club

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Adelaide
Full name Adelaide Football Club
Nickname Crows
Strip Red, gold and navy blue hooped guernsey, navy blue shorts, red, gold and navy blue hooped socks.

See Mero's Footy Jumpers
Founded 1990
Sport Australian rules football
League Australian Football League
First season 1991
Ground AAMI Stadium
Club song 'The Pride of South Australia'
President/Chair Bill Sanders
Coach Neil Craig
Captain Mark Ricciuto
2006 2nd on ladder, 3rd of 16

The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Crows, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Adelaide, South Australia.

The club is currently captained by Mark Ricciuto and the current coach is Neil Craig. The club is based at AAMI Stadium (formerly Football Park) in West Lakes and the club song is "The Pride of South Australia", which uses the tune of the United States Marines' Hymn. The Crows hold the distinguished record of being one of only two clubs to hold a 100% winning record in Grand Finals.

Contents

[edit] Club history

Original Adelaide Crows shield logo (1991-98)
Original Adelaide Crows shield logo (1991-98)

The South Australian National Football League, who ran the local competition, had been seeking to enter a team in what was then the Victorian Football League since 1981. Protracted negotiations were brought to a head in 1990 after SANFL team, Port Adelaide, reached agreement with the VFL to enter their competition. Because the Port Adelaide Football Club, who at that time were one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, would have left the SANFL legal action was taken, and eventually the league agreed to enter the Adelaide team in 1991.

The nickname "Crows" was inspired by the traditional "Croweaters" or nickname for South Australia's State of Origin teams.

The Crows won back-to-back premierships in 1997 and 1998 under coach Malcolm Blight, making it one of the most successful club in terms of achieving premiership success so soon after joining the AFL competition.

[edit] Membership base

In 2006, the club made history becoming the first club in VFL/AFL history to have more than 50,000 members. It has the largest membership of any club in the AFL.

Year Members Home & Away Finish Finish after finals Average home crowd
1991 25,087 9th 40,479
1992 38,673 9th 38,275
1993 40,100 5th 3rd 46,128
1994 40,611 11th - 42,864
1995 41,654 11th - 38,552
1996 42,283 12th - 39,428
1997 41,395 4th 1st 40,116
1998 41,985 5th 1st 41,203
1999 42,120 13th - 39,386
2000 42,896 11th - 38,447
2001 42,014 8th 8th 39,627
2002 46,620 3rd 4th 43,068
2003 47,097 6th 5th 44,524
2004 45,642 12th - 39,879
2005 43,256 1st 3rd 42,336
2006 50,138¹ 2nd 3rd 42,329¹ [1]

¹ (as at 30 June, 2006) ²following finals matches

[edit] Sponsors

Major Jumper Sponsors:


Apparel Sponsors:


Shorts Sponsors:


Ball Sponsors:

[edit] Inaugural match

Adelaide played its first official match against Hawthorn at Football Park. The Crows got off to the best possible start to their AFL life, smashing the eventual premiers by 86 points - 24.11 (155) to 9.15 (69) - in front of a crowd of 44,902.

Inaugural Match Lineup
B: Rodney Maynard Nigel Smart Scott Lee
HB: Robert Thompson Tom Warhurst Bruce Lindsay
C: Simon Tregenza Andrew Jarman David Marshall
HF: Grantley Fielke John Klug Bruce Lindner
F: Darrel Hart Darren Smith Peter McIntyre
Foll: Romano Negri Chris McDermott (Captain) Tony McGuinness
Int: Rod Jameson Eddie Hocking
Coach: Graham Cornes

[edit] Notable records

  • Greatest winning margin: 139 points - Round 16, 1993 v Richmond
  • Longest winning sequence: 10 games (Rounds 13-22, 2005)

[edit] Premierships

1997 Coca-Cola AFL Grand Final G B Total
Adelaide 19 11 125
St. Kilda 13 16 94
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground Crowd: 99,645


1998 Coca-Cola AFL Grand Final G B Total
Adelaide 15 15 105
North Melbourne 8 22 70
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground Crowd: 94,431


Image:Wizard_Home_Loans_Cup_Logo.gif
2003 Wizard Cup Grand Final SG G B Total
Adelaide 2 13 8 104
Collingwood 1 9 10 73
Venue: Telstra Dome, Melbourne Crowd: 43,571

[edit] Premiership teams

1997 Premiership Team
B: Ben Hart Rod Jameson Peter Caven
HB: Andrew McLeod David Pittman Simon Goodwin
C: Kym Koster Kane Johnson Matthew Connell
HF: Troy Bond Matthew Robran Nigel Smart
F: Chad Rintoul Shane Ellen Clay Sampson
Foll: Shaun Rehn Mark Bickley (Capt) Darren Jarman
Int: Tyson Edwards Aaron Keating Brett James
Coach: Malcolm Blight
1998 Premiership Team
B: Mark Bickley (Capt) Ben Hart Kane Johnson
HB: Nigel Smart Peter Caven Shane Ellen
C: James Theissen Darren Jarman Peter Vardy
HF: Andrew McLeod Matthew Robran Brett James
F: David Pittman Mark Ricciuto Tyson Edwards
Foll: Shaun Rehn Simon Goodwin Kym Koster
Int: Mark Stevens Andrew Eccles Matthew Connell
Ben Marsh
Coach: Malcolm Blight

[edit] Individual awards

[edit] Best and Fairest

See Malcolm Blight Medal

[edit] Brownlow Medal winners

[edit] Leigh Matthews Trophy winners

[edit] Coleman Medal winners

[edit] Norm Smith Medal winners

[edit] Michael Tuck Medal winners

[edit] Mark of the Year winners

[edit] All-Australian players

[edit] National team representatives (since 2005)

[edit] "Team of the Decade"

While some sides named their "Team of the Century" to coincide with the AFL centenary celebrations in 1996, Adelaide only joined the league in 1991, and so later on named their "Team of the Decade", covering the period from 1991 to 2000.

Adelaide Team of the Decade
B: Ben Hart Rod Jameson Mark Bickley
HB: Nigel Smart Peter Caven Mark Ricciuto
C: Greg Anderson Andrew Jarman Simon Tregenza
HF: Kane Johnson Matthew Robran Andrew McLeod
F: Darren Jarman Tony Modra Matthew Liptak
Foll: Shaun Rehn Chris McDermott (Captain) Tony McGuinness
Int: Mark Mickan Simon Goodwin Rodney Maynard
David Pittman
Coach: Malcolm Blight

[edit] Season Reviews

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[edit] 1993 - 3rd season, first finals

After finishing 9th in both 1991 and 1992. The 1993 season would be the first year the Adelaide Crows would see September Finals action. And would have an up and down home and away season. At home the Crows were almost unstoppable going an all time best 9-1 and selling out every single game in which attendance was at least 44000 each time. Tony Modra had a superb year kicking a club record 129 goals, and took the Mark of the Year in Round 8 vs North Melbourne at the southern end of Football Park. But Adelaide struggled away from home going just 3-7 and would finish the season in 5th place after beating Collingwood in a superb game at home in Round 22 but was good enough earn their first Finals berth. Adelaide eliminated 2nd place Hawthorn six days later at the MCG in the elimination Final by 15 points with Nigel Smart kicking 6 goals, the best of his career and the win gave Adelaide two chances to play in the Grand Final. The Crows struggled against Carlton in week 2 at Waverly Park in an 18 point loss denying them a Grand Final spot but still had another chance in the 1993 preliminary final which was played at the MCG against Essendon and the Crows led by 42 points at halftime after a superb first half performance. But in the second half the superb performance became dismal as Essendon who finished minor premier in 1993 came back in the second half to win by 11 points meaning the Crows frustratingly would have to wait 4 more years for their next chance.

[edit] 1997 - Premiership

With coach Malcolm Blight taking over, Adelaide went 13-9 in 1997 and Tony Modra was the clubs top goalicker for the 5th straight season and won the Coleman medal, and again victimised North Melbourne with the Mark of the Year yet again in exactly the same spot at the southern end riding with his knees on Mick Marytyn's shoulders and grabbing it facing backwards. The Crows finished in 4th spot and did what no side had ever done before, win 4 straight Finals games to claim their first premiership. The Crows downed West Coast at home on a Sunday, Geelong at home on a Saturday Night, The Western Bulldogs and St Kilda at the MCG (Both Saturdays) to claim the premiership. The preliminary Final was one of the greatest games in Crows history, they would lose Tony Modra to a season ending knee injury and come from 22 points down at 3 quarter time despite inaccurate kicking for a miracle 2-point victory. Andrew McLeod was the Norm Smith medallist after the Grand Final win.

[edit] 1998 - 2nd Premiership

Adelaide again went 13-9 in the 1998 and went into the Finals in 5th spot. Adelaide was beaten badly by Melbourne in the Qualifying Final but had a 2nd chance. From then on the Crows dominated their way to the premiership beating Sydney at the SCG, and thrashing the Western Bulldogs at the MCG by 68 points. This set up a Grand Final meeting with the Kangaroos, led by the best player in the game Wayne Carey. Adelaide trailed by 24 points at halftime, but a superb comeback in the second half saw them run out with a 35 point victory. Andrew McLeod again was the Norm Smith medallist, joining Gary Ayres as one of only two players to have won the Norm Smith medal back to back.

[edit] 1999

The Crows quest for 3 straight premierships began in 1999, and despite a good start to the year they struggled all year long with injuries going 8-14. The worst game of the year was an embarrassing 76 point home loss to the eventual premiers Kangaroos in Round 22 the second worst home loss in club history, it was the end of a short era. The Crows were hapless, and battered. Malcolm Blight was chaired off the ground to one of the loudest standing ovations ever heard at Football Park, despite the bad loss. Rod Jameson also played his final game that day, a popular Crows player throughout the 90s. Gary Ayres took over from Malcolm Blight in 2000 as the Crows start rebuilding back into a contender.

[edit] 2000

After their worst ever year in 1999 at 8-14. The rebuilding begins in the 2000 season, it did not start well as Adelaide lost their first 5 games, they got their first win of the season in Round 6 and played against Port Adelaide in the 7th showdown in Round 7. The Crows faced a 42 point deficit, but pulled off a miracle victory in one of the greatest showdowns played. As Andrew McLeod's goal in the final minute put Adelaide in front. The Crows would improve to 9-10 but in the end they finished the season at 10-12 in 11th spot. Adelaide also played its first ever Saturday Afternoon home game in Round 1 in dry weather conditions against the Western Bulldogs losing in a shootout.

[edit] 2001

Adelaide had an inconsistent 2001 season, losing their first 3 games of the season but went 12-6 from Rounds 4 to 21. They struggled at home finishing a club worst 6-5 at home at the time. But their 6-5 away record assured they finished 12-10. The Crows lost to wooden spooner Fremantle in Round 22 (only Fremantle's second win for the season) and limped into the finals in 8th place and were quickly eliminated by 5th placed Carlton by 68 points in a hapless performance. Darren Jarman played in his final season and was in tears after announcing his retirement after the game.

[edit] 2002

The Crows finished in the Top 4 in 2002 with a 15-7 record, giving them 3rd spot. They defeated Fremantle at Subiaco in Round 22. But in the Finals, the Crows were crushed by Brisbane in week 1 at the Gabba by 71 points. They had another chance the following week vs Melbourne at the MCG and looked gone throughout the game. Andrew McLeod had sprained his ankle in the 3rd quarter. But Adelaide rallied from a 29 point deficit late in the third quarter to pull off a miracle 12-point (2 goal) win, with an injured McLeod kicking a goal midway through the quarter to put Adelaide in front. The win meant they faced a superb Collingwood side at the MCG in the preliminary final. Adelaide built a 3 goal lead against the Magpies late in the 2nd term and things were looking good. But the injuries got to Adelaide as the Magpies rallied behind the deafening crowd and put away the game. Andrew McLeod suffered a bad Ankle injury during the game. The Crows started to make a comeback in the final quarter turning a 25 point deficit back to 13 points before the Magpies pulled away again winning by 28 points. Brisbane would defeat Collingwood the following week in the Grand Final.

[edit] 2003

Adelaide were one of the favourites for the premiership in 2003. They had signed Wayne Carey in the offseason after finishing in the Top 4 in 2002. They stormed through the preseason and defeated Collingwood to claim the Wizard Cup. Adelaide overcame a lot of injuries and went 13-9 in the home and away season and finished 6th, but it was certainly a painful year for Crows fans. The team's inability to win close games became a huge problem. The team was sitting 4-4 after a 5 point home loss to Collingwood in Round 7 and loss to Brisbane at the Gabba in Round 8 and needed to overcome a 23 point 3 quarter time deficit at home vs the bottom placed Western Bulldogs the following week after. With this win, the Crows would take 9 of next 11 games (with the losses by just 5 and 1 point) and were 13-6 after beating West Coast at Subiaco Oval in Round 19 and sitting in 2nd spot and needed to win 1 more game to finish top 4. The Crows were hammered by Collingwood in Round 20 and went home to face the Kangaroos in Round 21, a team they had struggled at home against. The Roos had no chance for Finals, while Adelaide were playing something big, a Top 4 berth and a qualifying final vs Port Adelaide. It did not happen, as the Kangaroos won by 10 points on a horrible wet day. The Crow were beaten in the Round 22 showdown vs Port by 16 points and went into September outside the Top 4, in 6th spot. After selling out every home game in the regular season. They easily defeated West Coast in the elimination final in front of a home crowd that failed to sell out. The win sent Adelaide to the Gabba to face Brisbane and the 2 time defending premiers Lions overcame a solid Crows effort on their way to another premiership winning the semi final easily. The game marked the final appearance for Mark Bickley, the Crows captain in their premiership years.

[edit] 2004

The Crows struggled in 2004 finishing 8-14, including a 5-6 mark at home. Adelaide lost its first 4 games of the season, before defeating Richmond in Round 5 and ended a long losing streak in Showdowns by defeating eventual premier Port Adelaide by 32 points in Round 7, the struggles continued after that an embarrassing 51 point home loss to Essendon followed and an ugly 3 point loss to Collingwood. But the Crows thrashed Hawthorn at the MCG by 86 points in Mark Ricciuto's 250th game. The team continued to struggle suffering a terrible 4 point home loss to Carlton and a 32 point loss to West Coast at Subiaco, Wayne Carey who had kicked 27 goals in 12 games had suffered a season ending injury and announced he would be taking no part. The loss left Adelaide at a dismal 3-9 and were winless at home. Nigel Smart played his final game in Round 13 vs the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium as Adelaide won its first home game of the season, the final player from the original 1991 squad and Gary Ayres resigned as coach after that game and was replaced by assistant coach Neil Craig. Adelaide gave 2nd placed Melbourne a blowout defeat in his first game as coach. The Crows would lose their next 3, two close ones and then suffered its worst defeat in history, a 141 point loss to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in Round 17. But finished the season strongly by winning 3 of its last 5 games and high expectations were back for the upcoming 2005 season.

[edit] 2005

Main article: 2005 AFL Finals Series

In 2005 Adelaide had their best home and away season in the history of the club after finishing on top of the ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses ahead of West Coast only on percentage. The Crows needed to beat West Coast at Subiaco Oval in Round 22 to take the minor premiership after West Coast had remained on top of the ladder for most of the home and away season. Adelaide prevailed by 8 points. The week before, in Round 21, Adelaide defeated a hapless Collingwood by 110 points, their biggest win of season 2005 at AAMI Stadium, providing the percentage boost required for them to edge past West Coast in the subsequent week. Adelaide went into the finals on a 10 game winning streak that came to a bitter end in the first qualifying final against St. Kilda. In a low scoring struggle, Adelaide's failure to put its early dominance of general play onto the scoreboard cost them as they made a last quarter comeback but were edged out by 8 points at AAMI Stadium on a wet night. The tough loss set up a game against bitter cross-town rivals Port Adelaide, the premiers of 2004 which Adelaide won convincingly, which gave the Crows 10 home wins for the first time ever in a season after finishing with 9 wins and 2 losses at completion of the home and away season. Both Crows home finals which were played on Saturday Nights drew record finals crowds to AAMI Stadium, 48,756 and 50,521 (The maximum capacity of AAMI Stadium is 51,300). After winning against Port Adelaide they booked one of their toughest ever away Finals games, having to travel back to Subiaco to play West Coast for a place in the Grand Final. It was a tough, fairly close encounter, but a third quarter Adelaide lapse saw the Eagles mount a match-winning lead behind a hostile home crowd. The Crows fought hard in the final term, at one stage reducing the margin from some 5 goals to just 9 points. The Eagles held them off however, getting 2 quick late goals and over the line in the end by 16 points and earning a spot in the Grand Final for the first time since 1994. Adelaide finished 3rd overall in 2005, because they were the highest placed team after the 22 home-and-away rounds not to make the Grand Final.

[edit] 2006

Main article: 2006 AFL Finals Series

In 2006, Ben Hart entered his 15th season and became the first player in Crows history to play 300 games. He achieved the feat in round two against West Coast, with the Crows unfortunately going down in front of a home crowd by just two points. Andrew McLeod entered his 12th season and played his 250th game in the 138 point thumping of Essendon at AAMI Stadium on the Friday Night stage in round 10, Ricciuto also played his 300th on a Friday Night with 5 goals in the Crows Round 16 victory over North Melbourne. Adelaide started the 2006 season with a superb win over Collingwood but lost round 2 to West Coast by just 2 points but then won 5 straight games before losing to Richmond in Round 8, but then won 8 games in a row before that streak ended in a shocking performance vs the premiership favourite West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval in Round 17, by a huge 82 points (165 to 83). Adelaide then rebounded from their worst defeat in exactly 2 years and produced a stunning and rare 4 point victory (7.16 58 to 7.12 54) over an in-form Collingwood side in Round 18 when Chris Tarrant had a chance to beat Adelaide yet again but narrowly missed a set shot at goal when it was rushed through for a behind. The Crows also managed to win without their best midfielder Andrew McLeod, who was resting a foot injury and several other players and took them to a 15-3 record. In the following weeks the Crows were defeated by 15pts by Fremantle at AAMI Stadium but clinched 2nd place, then by 7 points by an undermanned bulldogs side at the MCG. And then by 14 points to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. However, they finished the minor round strongly with a 58-point thrashing of Melbourne as Adelaide finished 16-6 in the home and away season. The Crows first final saw them face Fremantle who have won 9 straight games, and beat them convincingly 76 to 46, sending the Crows through to a two-week break and a home preliminary final against the more favourable West Coast Eagles, which they lost by 10 points in a repeat of the bitter preliminary final defeat of 2005. As was the case in 2005, Adelaide again finished 3rd overall, because they were the highest placed team after the 22 home-and-away rounds not to make the Grand Final.

[edit] Current 2007 playing list

As of December 12, 2006:

     

Rookies:

  • 41 James Turner
  • 42 Rhys Archard
  • 43 Andrew McIntyre
  • 45 Greg Gallman

[edit] Coaches

^Gary Ayres was told that his contract would not be extended when it expired after the 2004 season, and he decided to quit immeiately. Assistant Coach Neil Craig took over from Round 14 and was appointed Senior Coach for 2005 and beyond.

[edit] Previous Adelaide playing lists

[edit] Club jumpers

Home
The home jumper is worn at all 11 home matches throughout the season, as well as generally all matches during the finals series.
The home jumper is worn at all 11 home matches throughout the season, as well as generally all matches during the finals series.
Away
The away jumper is worn at all away matches throughout the season, except where there is a clash with the home team.
The away jumper is worn at all away matches throughout the season, except where there is a clash with the home team.
Clash
The clash jumper is only worn in away matches when the other designs are close to the home team's design (such as Melbourne).
The clash jumper is only worn in away matches when the other designs are close to the home team's design (such as Melbourne).

[edit] Famous Fans

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Clubs in the Australian Football League
Adelaide | Brisbane Lions | Carlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Hawthorn
Kangaroos | Melbourne | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St. Kilda | Sydney | West Coast | Western Bulldogs
Former clubs: Brisbane Bears | Fitzroy | University

Australian rules football in South Australia
Governing Body

SANFL
Professional Clubs (AFL)

Adelaide Crows | Port Adelaide Power
Metropolitan Leagues

SANFL | South Australian Amateur Football League
Regional Leagues

Adelaide Plains | Barossa Light & Gawler | Broken Hill | Eastern Eyre | Far West | Great Flinders | Great Southern | Hills | Kangaroo Island | Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara | Mallee | Mid Murray | Mid South East | Mid West | North Eastern | Northern Areas | Port Lincoln | Riverland | River Murray | Southern | Spencer Gulf | Western Border | Whyalla | Woomera & Districts | Yorke Peninsula
Junior Leagues

Central District | Metro South | Metro West | North East
Women's Leagues

South Australian Women's Football League
Masters Leagues

Masters Australian Football SA
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